on coaching software development teams, being a Dad, and the art of change.

More on play: the players

While I was googling for background information on Pat Kane's book "The Play Ethic" I came across this insight into the nature of great team players:
How much is there to learn from this disquisition on the relationship between individual play and team play:
You have this game with 22 players, all of them individuals, and yet they form two teams. Everything in this field of sport is contradictory. The 11 of you must operate as a hermetic group, while each player is constantly being judged on his individual performance. Eleven ways of thinking, 11 opinions, 11 personalities - how can they ever agree? And yet on the field a common goal must be set. Another complication is added: the problems that arise when things are not going well, appear in reverse when all is going smoothly. If there is a hitch, the guys, by being organised and not solely relying on their own insight, will give all it takes to get things back on track. If the game is progressing optimally, then these players will all want to stand out again anyway.
Cruyff's own solution? "I always went against the grain of all the accepted opinions. I dared to say to myself: 'Today is not important.' So I do not really have to go around that guy now and shoot the ball in the goal myself. If the organisation is sound, we will succeed - maybe not today, but tomorrow." (sourced from Brain Waves).

About...

Tim specialises in assisting teams or organisations to introduce Agile software development methods such as Scrum or XP. He is a passionate "people person" and an advocate of test driven development and software craftsmanship, with over a decade's experience working with software development teams in the UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. Tim enjoys his work most when helping teams to see that they can produce more and better software with less stress.

The views expressed here are my own and neither my employers nor any other party necessarily agrees with them.